Session 14 Skeletal System

Skeletal system of fishes
Dr. Amrutha Gopan

Assistant Professor
School of Fisheries
Centurion University of Technology and Management
Odisha
Einführung
There are two different skeletal types: the exoskeleton, which is
the stable outer shell of an organism, and the endoskeleton,
which forms the support structure inside the body.
The skeleton of the fish is made of either cartilage
(cartilaginous fishes) or bone (bony fishes).
Bone tissue is found only in the Subphylum Vertebrata.
As such, bone is often thought of as being typical of vertebrates.
In vertebrates, bone functions as a supporting tissue, a
calcium reserve and as a hemopoietic (blood forming)
tissue.
The skeleton is the basis of form and support of the vertebrate
body.
Muscles attach to the skeleton and vital organs are surrounded
• The main features of the fish, the fins, are bony fin
rays and, except for the caudal fin, have no direct
connection with the spine.
• They are supported only by the muscles.
• The ribs attach to the spine.
• Bones are rigid organs that form part of the
endoskeleton of vertebrates.
• They function to move, support, and protect the
various organs of the body, produce red and white
blood cells and store minerals.
• Bone tissue is a type of dense connective tissue.
• Bones come in a variety of shapes and have a
complex internal and external structure.
• They are lightweight, yet strong and hard, in addition
to fulfilling their many other functions.
The skeleton of vertebrates is
broadly divided into two parts:
the axial skeleton consisting of
the skull,
vertebrae and
 ribs; and
the appendicular skeleton consisting of
the pectoral and pelvic girdles and
 the bones of the appendages.
The Axial Skeleton
Skull
The skull of the perch is actually a double structure
consisting of two “boxes” of bone,
one enclosed by the other.
The outer skull is an armour of dermal bone.
Primitive extinct bony fish had dermal bony armour
covering most of their bodies.
In the modern fish, the outer skull is virtually all that
remains of this armour.
Dermal bone forms, as its name implies, in the dermis
of the skin and is not proceeded by a cartilage
structure.
The inner skull is composed of endochondral bone.
• Endochondral bone develops under the dermis and
replaces existing cartilaginous structures.
• Hence the name “endochondral” denotes the bony
tissue develops “within” existing cartilage
structures.
• Elements of the inner skull form the cranium or
brain case.
• The perch skull consists of many small bones.
Vertebral Column
A series of endochondral bones called vertebrae form the
vertebral column.
Vertebrae have several common features.
The large spool-shaped central portion of each is the centrum.
Extending through the middle of each centrum is a canal for the
passage of the notochord.
As mentioned previously, many fish retain a notochord throughout
life.
Above the centrum, an
arch of bone surrounds
and protects the spinal
cord.
A dorsal projection, the
neural spine, extends
outward from the
vertebral column.
The fish vertebral column
is divided into two
subdivisions: the trunk
and the tail (caudal).
Although fish do not have a
neck, the first two trunk
vertebrae are modified.
These vertebrae lack ribs.
The rest of the trunk
vertebrae possess ribs.
Caudal (tail) vertebrae
possess a ventral portion
which forms a hemal arch
which surrounds blood
vessels.
Appendicular Skeleton and Fins
Median Fins
The dorsal fins of the perch have fin rays for
support.
The anterior dorsal fin has ossified fin rays which
provide stiff support(spiny), while the fin rays of the
posterior dorsal fin are not ossified and are
flexible(soft).
Only the first two fin rays of the anal fin are ossified.
The caudal fin is composed entirely of soft, unossified
fin rays.
Pectoral Girdle and Fins
The pectoral fins are
attached to a bony girdle,
the pectoral girdle.
The pectoral girdle is
composed of a number of
fused elements.
The girdle is also fused to
the skull
(the head and trunk of the
perch move as a unit).
The fins are supported by
soft fin rays.
Pelvic Girdle and Fins
The pelvic fins are attached to the pelvic girdle, which is
composed of two bony pelvic plates.
The plates may be fused along the midline.
The pelvic girdle is not attached to the vertebral column nor to
the pectoral girdle, but is free-floating (embedded in muscle
only).
Only the medial fin rays are bony, the rest are the typical soft
unossified type.
Watch video on the following links
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JtevualNp4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-frsvjd7XEg

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Skeletal system of fishes

Dr. Amrutha Gopan

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